STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Talk about being in the right place at the right time and catching a lucky break.

Irene Peterson, a pre-kindergarten aide at St. Peter-St Paul's School in New Brighton, never imagined that her early-morning ritual would result in a grant for her school.

Last summer, the owner of the local Exxon Mobil service station noticed that she stopped in to buy her lottery tickets at a different time than usual. She explained that her scheduled changed because she worked at a school nearby.

Monty Patel has owned the Exxon Mobil service station/convenience store on the corner of Richmond Terrace and Bard Avenue for the past five years.

At the time of his conversation with Ms. Peterson, he had just received a letter asking him to identify a school in need in his area to be considered for an Exxon Mobil classroom grant to promote math and science programs in local schools.

"Irene stops in and buys her lottery tickets in my store and one day I noticed that she was stopping in later than usual. She told me it was because her hours changed in the summer because she works at a school nearby. She spoke so highly of her school and the students," Patel explained.

"I couldn't believe the coincidence. I had just received the letter about the grant program. I was happy to recommend St. Peter-St. Paul's School for the grant," he said.

Months passed, until one day Patel received a letter in the mail from Exxon Mobil.

Patel wasted no time in contacting Principal Margaret Annunziata with the good news. She arranged for him to visit the school, to present the check in person during a ceremony with students and teachers.

After the ceremony, Ms. Annunziata took Patel on a tour of the school. She explained how the school was created as a result of merging the former St. Peter's Elementary School on Richmond Terrace, with St. Paul's School on Cassidy Place.

As a father himself, Patel expressed how happy he was to be a part of the community and to be able to play a part in assisting the school.

The Exxon Mobil Educational Alliance program is designed to provide Exxon and Mobil retailers with an opportunity to invest in the future of their communities through educational grants to neighborhood schools.

The corporation believes that, as members of the community, local retailers are best qualified to work with local educators to help identify schools and programs most in need of support. Exxon Mobil started the program to "encourage the next generation to pursue studies and careers in fields involving math and science."